Dealing with harassment at Massey

Massey University endeavors to provide an environment that is free from harassment. If you feel another person at Massey is harassing you - a staff member or student - there is support available. Seeking help to resolve the harassment is a brave and positive step. A Harassment Contact Person (HCP) will guide you through the process.

What is harassment?

Harassment is a form of discrimination and is unlawful under the the Human Rights Act 1993. Harassment of any kind is defined broadly as:

any behaviour directed towards an individual or group that a reasonable person, having regard to the circumstances would expect to insult, intimidate, victimise or disadvantage the recipient, and which is:

unwelcome, hurtful or offensive to the recipient; and

is repeated, or is of such significance as to adversely affect the recipient’s employment or well-being.

Harassment Resolution Procedure

You may choose to resolve the complaint in the following ways:

You may meet privately with, or write in confidence to the Respondent to describe the alleged harassment, and to ask that the behaviour cease. A HCP or other support person can accompany you to a meeting, if required.

You may request the Regional Harassment Convenor to facilitate a meeting with all parties to discuss ways for the complaint to be resolved.

You may request that the complaint be mediated. You may make a complaint to the appropriate University official. The HCP can help you to identify this person.

At any stage you may choose to complain to an appropriate external agency such as the Human Rights Commission, the Race Relations Office, or the Police.

What to do if you're a student dealing with harassment

The first thing to do is to talk with a Harassment Contact Person (HCP). When you do, you can expect confidentiality, a supporting ear and some options about how to resolve the situation. A HCP will discuss with you how the harassment is affecting your life and they can assist you in exploring a range of strategies to approach the person and to request that the behaviour be stopped. If this does not work, or if such an approach is inappropriate, the HCP will outline the options available to resolve a complaint of harassment. Some of the options are:

The Regional Harassment Convenor will arrange an informal meeting with all parties, in order to reach a resolution that is acceptable to all.

Have the complaint mediated by a University Mediator.

If these options do not work, or if they are inappropriate, the complaint might be dealt with by the most appropriate University procedures (eg Academic Grievance Procedures, Student Disciplinary Procedures, Halls Disciplinary Procedures).